(Video): Real Betis score from Malo Gusto mistake; Enzo Maresca’s decision to change defenders looks dodgy | OneFootball

Chelsea went into this game full of confidence after a superb result at the weekend against Nottingham Forest, but they’ve been utterly bested so far by Betis.

They’re moving the ball faster, making more decisive moves and passes, and they already have a goal to show for it.

Malo Gusto is inverting into midfield today and Betis know it. They targeted him, and when he gave a sloppy pass into midfield they pounced. The ball was shifted quickly to Isco, who played a clever reverse pass into Ez Abde. He smashed in a really nice finish past Filip Jorgensen.

There’s plenty of time to go, but so far Manuel Pellegrini’s team look sharper, hungrier, and just better.

You can see the goal in the clips embedded here:

[Footage from TNT Sport]

Maresca’s team decisions backfiring already

Josh Acheampong on his full league debut. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)

When the team news came out ahead of this game we questioned the decision to mix up the defence. Trevoh Chalobah and Benoit Badiashile have only played together 3 times as a central defensive partnership, and against pretty soft opposition.

Was there any need to drop Colwill, who has been the most consistently starting central defender all year in the league?

At right back, we get Reece James can’t play twice in a week, but the Gusto inverting idea has struggled all season and it seems mad to go back to it now. We’ve seen Josh Acheampong do so well in this tournament – if you want someone to invert, why not him?

We suspect we could see James at half time if it carries on like this.

As for Jorgensen in goal, there wasn’t much he could do about the powerful effort back across him, but there was still something odd about how far he was from the effort. Maybe we’re being too harsh.